John Mangiapane

John Mangiapane (b. 1955) a Connecticut native, currently resides in Western Massachusetts. He has an extensive background in theatre, sewing, and costuming, working as a costume designer in professional theatre. In the late 1980s he became interested in the artwork of Tarot, which eventually lead to his interest in the origin, history, evolution and expansion of Tarot. Not satisfied with the Tarot books he found - which seemed elitist, too focused on arcane minutiae, or just plain boring, he published the first edition of his book 'It's All In The Cards,' in 2004. It has been reprinted and revised in both workbook-sized and a desk reference format.

The author wrote his next book, after a chance meeting with another Tarot author in which both lamented that the majority of Tarot books available were written by women for other women and loaded with coy and stifling Victorian concepts. As a result of this encounter, John Mangiapane set about writing a Tarot book that applied to men in the modern age. “Every Man’s Tarot: Tarot and the Male Experience” is part Tarot, part men's philosophy, with a touch of locker room talk. He also drew the book's 78 illustrations. The illustrations have now been turned into a Tarot Deck in their own right. "The Everyman Tarot Deck" is available for purchase from thegamecrafter.com and comes in both the original B/W and a NEW colorized version. Both Book and Decks are now in their newly revised Second Editions!

Mr. Mangiapane has a completed a trilogy of books on Tarot superstitions and folklore: "No Reading on Sundays - and Other Tarot Rules" Did you know you should ONLY read barefoot with no body parts crossed? "Sew on a Sunday - Rip on a Monday - A Collection of Sewing and Quilting Superstitions"- ('Never baste with green thread - you'll have trouble with the garment'), and "Never Wash Your Bread Knife on a Sunday: Food Superstitions - With a Grain of Salt"- ('If the wedding cake is to split it will spell bad luck for the couple').

Mr. Mangiapane has also published "My Father's World War II Diary," a transcription of the writings of the author’s father while he served in the U.S. Navy in Hawaii from 1944-1945. It includes photographs. This is the diary kept by a lonely young sailor doing his duty and waiting for the next letter or package from home as the War draws to a close.

Additional writings of the author include: "Memories of Mario, Ten Years of Companionship"- a memoir of a loving ten-year monogamous gay relationship, told by the surviving partner

"The Quilt Project: 1975-1986," an illustrated chronicle of the author’s quilting works during the Great American Quilt Revival.

"The Quilt Project: 1975-1986" When a close friend who was a very creative and talented person - but an only child - died, her relatives literally threw her life and her life's work into dumpsters. Determined that he could avoid the same fate, He wrote a chronicle of his quilting works during the Great American Quilt Revival. Includes color photographs and a NEW chapter.

"Cars With Trees on Top Mean Christmas is Coming" - a Christmas book for preschoolers - and John did the illustrations, too! For one little boy - he knows that Christmas is coming when he sees trees growing from the roofs of cars! The book was called 'Darling' by a pre-publication reviewer. 24 Pages with 14 full color illustrations.

"Grandpapa Alexandre Builds a Christmas Tree" - based on a true Christmas Eve story from the Great Depression. Grandpapa has 25 cents in his pocket on Christmas Eve - how will be buy a tree for his family? A wonderful and heart-warming tale for middle-school aged children. Newly released with illustrations.

"Recollections of a Santa Claus Impersonator" - Autobiography - after wearing a Santa Suit for 20 years, Johnwrites about some of his most memorable - and least successful - Christmas Eve deliveries. A fun read!

"We Can't Move! It's Almost Christmas!" - Daddy gets remarried and moves his family after Thanksgiving, leaving one small girl to worry that she will not have any gifts under the tree Christmas morning! A good read to alleviate childhood fears. Written to be read to Kindergarten-age children.

"My Obsession With Georges Seurat and 'La Grande Jatte' " - The first book in a series of 3 books under the umbrella title 'Cross-Stitching and Art'. Thanks to the wonder of digital photography John was able to keep a running collection of pictures as I work through a project, and Seurat's masterpiece painting 'La Grande Jatte' was quite the experience! Illustrated with pictures of the work in progression, John discusses what was wrong with the commercially produced chart and how he corrected it to make the finished piece look more like the original painting that inspired it. An excellent gift for a cross-stitching friend!

Book #2 of 3 is here! "Homage to Pamela" - Pamela Colman Smith died penniless in obscurity in 1951; she is most remembered for her designs for the Rider-Waite Tarot deck published in 1910 - which has become one of the most recognized designs in Tarot. I stitched The Magician card, and as in Book #1 - John found the chart was horrendous and stitched the design to look more like Pamela's original card design. A tribute to a female artist whose creative output could easily have slipped out of our collective consciousness.

Book #3 of 3 "For My Mother" was completed and published Memorial Day weekend of 2016.

...and John is working on the next book. There is always another book!